Now I ain't trying to be the greatest

Lupe Fiasco is not one to be concerned with his standing in the “hiearchy” of mainstream hip hop; how people perceive him is only relevant in regards to their appreciation of his music. He does not aspire to be the next number one rapper on the charts, but is instead concerned with delivering ideas that he feels his audience needs to hear.

Being a Muslim, a major belief in Islam is that “God is greatest” (that’s what “Allahu Akbar” translates to). That is why he says he is not trying to be the greatest, because he knows none can be greater than God. He also refers to this in his song “Yoga Flame” when he says “never great cause God is great.”